Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  XXVIII

  So Belisarius was making haste to go straight to Tarentum. Now the shore there has approximately the form of a crescent, where the coast recedes and the sea advances in a gulf, as it were, far up into the land. But the distance, as one sails along this whole coast, extends to one thousand stades, and on either side of the opening of the gulf stand two cities, the one toward the west being Croton, and the one to the east Tarentum. And at the middle of this shore is the city of Thurii. But Belisarius was hindered by a storm and forced from his course by a violent wind and a high sea which would not permit his ships to make any progress at all; he therefore put in at the harbour of Croton.

  And since he neither found any fortress there nor any place from which provisions could be brought in for the soldiers, Belisarius himself together with his wife remained there with the infantry, in order that from there he might be able to summon and organize John’s army; but he ordered all the horsemen to go ahead and make camp at the passes leading into the country, placing in command of them Phazas the Iberian and the guardsman Barbation. For in this way he thought that they could secure all necessary supplies for their horses and themselves very easily, and would probably, too, be able in a narrow pass to repulse the enemy. For the mountains of Lucania extend as far as Bruttium, and standing as they do close to one another, they form there only two passes, which are exceedingly narrow, one of which has received the name “Rock of Blood” in the Latin tongue, while the natives are accustomed to call the other Lavula. Not far from these passes on the coast is Rusciane, the naval harbour of Thurii, while above it at a distance of about sixty stades is a very strong fortress built by the ancient Romans. This fortress had been occupied by John much earlier and he had established a considerable garrison in it.

  Now the soldiers of Belisarius, upon reaching this district, chanced upon a hostile army, which Totila had sent for the purpose of making an attempt on the fortress there. And they engaged with them immediately and by their valour routed them without any difficulty, although they were far outnumbered, and they slew more than two hundred. Those who were left took to flight and when they came before Totila, reported everything that had befallen them. As for the Romans, they made camp and remained there, but since they were without proper commanders and had won a victory, they began to conduct themselves in a rather careless manner. For they neither stayed quietly gathered in one place, nor did they take up positions near the pass and guard the approaches, but, becoming negligent, they were sleeping at night in encampments very far removed from one another, and during the day they would go about searching for provisions, neither sending any men out as scouts nor taking any other measures for security.

  Totila, consequently, upon learning everything, selected three thousand horsemen from his whole army and went against the enemy. And falling upon them unexpectedly, not drawn up in battle formation but going about in the manner described, he threw them all into consternation and complete disorder. At this moment Phazas, who happened to be camping near by, encountered the enemy and made a display of valorous deeds, and he did, indeed, thus make himself the cause of the escape of a few men, but he himself perished together with all his men. This misfortune fell heavily upon the Romans, because they all pinned their hope on this detachment as an unusually efficient fighting force. Now as many as succeeded in fleeing saved themselves in such manner as each found possible. And Barbation, the guardsman of Belisarius, fled with two others as hard as he could, and was the first to reach Croton. There he reported how matters stood at the moment, and added that he thought the barbarians too would be at hand right speedily. And Belisarius, upon hearing this, was sorely grieved, and rushed on board the ships. So they set sail from there, and since a wind was blowing, they succeeded that day in reaching Messana in Sicily, which is seven hundred stades from Croton, being situated opposite to Rhegium.

  Ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον Σκλαβηνῶν στράτευμα διαβάντες ποταμὸν Ἴστρον Ἰλλυριοὺς ἅπαντας ἄχρι Ἐπιδαμνίων ἔδρασαν ἀνήκεστα ἔργα, κτείνοντες καὶ ἀνδραποδίζοντες τοὺς ἐν ποσὶν ἡβηδὸν ἅπαντας καὶ τὰ χρήματα ληϊζόμενοι. [2] ἤδη δὲ καὶ φρούρια ἐνταῦθα πολλά τε καὶ δοκοῦντα ἐχυρὰ τὰ πρότερα εἶναι οὐδενὸς ἀμυνομένου ἐξελεῖν ἴσχυσαν, καὶ περιήρχοντο ξύμπαντα κατ̓ ἐξουσίαν διερευνώμενοι. [3] οἱ δὲ τῶν Ἰλλυριῶν ἄρχοντες στράτευμα πεντακισχιλίων τε καὶ μυρίων ἔχοντες εἵποντο, ἄγχιστα μέντοι τῶν πολεμίων οὐδαμῆ ἐτόλμων ἰέναι. [4] Τότε δὲ καὶ σεισμοὶ πολλάκις χειμῶνος ὥρᾳ σκληροί τε λίαν καὶ ὑπερφυεῖς ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ χωρίοις ἄλλοις ἐγένοντο, νύκτωρ ἅπαντες. [5] καὶ οἱ μὲν ταύτῃ ᾠκημένοι καταχωσθήσεσθαι ὑποτοπήσαντες ἐν δέει μεγάλῳ ἐγένοντο, οὐδὲν μέντοι ἐνθένδε φλαῦρον αὐτοῖς ξυνηνέχθη παθεῖν. [6] Τότε καὶ Νεῖλος ὁ ποταμὸς ὑπὲρ ὀκτωκαίδεκα πήχυς ἀναβὰς ἐπέκλυσε μὲν τὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἤρδευσε πᾶσαν, ἀλλὰ ἐν μὲν Θηβαΐδι τῇ ὕπερθεν οὔσῃ ὑφιζάνοντά τε καὶ ἀποχωροῦντα τοῖς καθήκουσι χρόνοις τὰ ὕδατα παρείχετο τοῖς τῇδε ᾠκημένοις σπείρειν τε τὴν γῆν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ᾗπερ εἰώθει: [7] χώρας δὲ τῆς ἔνερθεν ἐπειδὴ πρῶτον ἐπεπόλασεν, οὐκέτι ἀπέβη, ἀλλ̓ ἐνοχλῶν αὐτῇ ξύμπαντα διαγέγονε τὸν τοῦ σπείρειν καιρόν, οὐ ξυμπεσὸν τοῦτό γε πρότερον ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος, ἔστι δὲ οὗ καὶ ἀπολωφῆσαν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπέκλυσεν αὖθις οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον. [8] ταύτῃ τε ἅπαντα ἐσεσήπει τὰ σπέρματα, ὅσα δὴ μεταξὺ καταβεβλημένα ἐς τὴν γῆν ἔτυχε. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἄνθρωποι τῷ παραλόγῳ τῆς ξυμφορᾶς ἀμηχανίᾳ πολλῇ εἴχοντο, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ζῴων ἀπορίᾳ τροφῆς τὰ πλεῖστα ἐφθάρη. [9] Τότε καὶ τὸ κῆτος, ὃ δὴ Βυζάντιοι Πορφύριον ἐκάλουν, ἑάλω. τοῦτό τε τὸ κῆτος πλέον μὲν ἢ ἐς πεντήκοντα ἐνιαυτοὺς τό τε Βυζάντιον καὶ τὰ ἀμφ̓ αὐτὸ χωρία ἠνώχλει, οὐκ ἐφεξῆς μέντοι, ἀλλὰ διαλεῖπον, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, πολύν τινα μεταξὺ χρονον. [10] καὶ πολλὰ μὲν κατέδυσε πλοῖα, πολλῶν δὲ τοὺς ἐπιβατας ξυνταράττον τε καὶ βιαζόμενον ὡς ἀπωτάτω ἀπήνεγκεν. ἐπιμελὲς μὲν οὖν Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ ἐγεγόνει τὸ θηρίον τοῦτο χειρώσασθαι. ἐπιτελέσαι δὲ τὸ βούλευμα οὐδεμιᾷ μηχανῆ ἔσχεν. ὅπως δὲ αὐτῷ τανῦν ἁλῶναι ξυνέπεσεν. [11] ἐγὼ δηλώσω. ἐτύγχανε μὲν γαλήνη τὴν θάλασσαν πολλὴ ἔχουσα, δελφίνων δὲ πάμπολύ τι πλῆθος ἄγχιστά πη τοῦ στόματος Πόντου τοῦ Εὐξείνου ξυνέρρεον. [12] οἵπερ ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου τὸ κῆτος ἰδόντες ἔφευγον ὥς πη ἑκάστῳ δυνατὰ γέγονεν, οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι ἀμφὶ τοῦ Σαγάριδος τὰς ἐκβολὰς ἦλθον. τινὰς μὲν οὖν αὐτῶν καταλαβὸν τὸ κῆτος καταπιε�
��ν εὐθὺς ἴσχυσεν. [13] εἴτε δὲ πείνῃ εἴτε φιλονεικίᾳ ἔτι ἐχόμενον οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἐδίωκεν, ἕως δὴ αὐτὸ ἄγχιστά πη τῆς γῆς ἐκπεσὸν ἔλαθεν. [14] ἐνταῦθά τε ἰλύϊ βαθείᾳ κομιδῆ ἐντυχὸν ἐβιάζετο μὲν καὶ πάντα ἐκίνει, ὅπως δὴ ἐνθένδε ὅτι τάχιστα ἀπαλλάσσοιτο, διαφυγεῖν δὲ τὸ τέναγος τοῦτο οὐδαμῆ εἶχεν, ἀλλ̓ ὑπὸ τῷ πηλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐγίνετο. [15] ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτο ἐς τοὺς περιοίκους ἅπαντας ἦλθε, δρόμῳ εὐθὺς ἐπ̓ αὐτὸ ᾔεσαν, ἀξίναις τε πανταχόθεν ἐνδελεχέστατα κόψαντες οὐδ̓ ὣς ἔκτειναν, ἀλλὰ σχοίνοις ἁδραῖς τισιν εἷλκον. [16] ἕν τε ἁμάξαις ἐνθέμενοι εὕρισκον μῆκος μὲν πηχῶν μάλιστα τριάκοντα ὄν, εὖρος δὲ δέκα. ἐνταῦθά τε κατὰ συμμορίας τινὰς διασπασάμενοι οἱ μέν τινες αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἐγεύσαντο, οἱ δὲ καὶ μοῖραν ταριχεῦσαι τὴν ἐπιβάλλουσαν σφίσιν ἔγνωσαν. [17] Βυζάντιοι δέ, ἐπειδὴ τῶν τε σεισμῶν ᾔσθοντο καὶ τὰ ξυμπεσόντα ἀμφί τε τῷ Νείλῳ καὶ τῷ κήτει τούτῳ ἔγνωσαν, προὔλεγον αὐτίκα ξυμβήσεσθαι ὅσα δὴ αὐτῶν ἑκάστῳ ἤρεσκε. [18] φιλοῦσι γὰρ ἄνθρωποι τοῖς παροῦσι διαπορούμενοι τὰ ἐσόμενα τερατεύεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς ἐνοχλοῦσιν ἀποκναιόμενοι τὰ ξυμβησόμενα λόγῳ οὐδενὶ τεκμηριοῦσθαι. [19] ἐγὼ δὲ μαντείας τε καὶ τεράτων δηλώσεις ἄλλοις ἀφιεὶς ἐκεῖνο εὖ οἶδα, ὡς ἡ μὲν τοῦ Νείλου ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας διατριβὴ μεγάλων αἰτία ἔν γε τῷ παρόντι συμφορῶν γέγονε, τὸ δὲ κῆτος ἀφανισθὲν πολλῶν ἀπαλλαγὴ κακῶν διαδείκνυται οὖσα. [20] τινὲς δέ φασιν οὐ τὸ κῆτος τοῦτο, οὗπερ ἐμνήσθην, ἀλλ̓ ἕτερον εἶναι, ὃ δὴ ἁλῶναι ξυνέπεσεν. ἐγὼ δὲ ὅθεν τὴν ἐκβολὴν τοῦ λόγου ἐποιησάμην ἐπάνειμι. [21] Τουτίλας οὖν ταῦτα διαπεπραγμένος ἃ προδεδήλωται, ἐπεὶ Ῥωμαίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ ἐπὶ Ῥουσκιανῆς φρουρίῳ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ὑποσπανίζειν ἐπύθετο, ἐξαιρήσειν αὐτοὺς οἰόμενος ὅτι τάχιστα, ἢν μή τι ἐσκομίζεσθαι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων οἷοί τε ὦσιν, ἐστρατοπεδεύσατό τε ὡς ἀγχοτάτω καὶ ἐγκαθεζόμενος ἐς πολιορκίαν καθίστατο. καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε, καὶ τρισκαιδέκατον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε, ὃν Προκόπιος ξυνέγραψε.

  XXIX

  AT about this time an army of Sclaveni crossed the river Ister and spread desolation throughout the whole of lllyricum as far as Epidamnus, killing or enslaving all who came in their way, young and old alike, and plundering their property. And they had already succeeded in capturing numerous strongholds of that region, which were then quite undefended, but which previously had been reputed to be strong-places, and they continued to roam about searching out everything at their own pleasure. And the commanders of the Illyrians kept following them with an army of fifteen thousand men, without, however, having the courage to get close to the enemy.

  At that time also, earthquakes of extraordinary severity occurred many times during the winter season, both in Byzantium and in other places, always at night. And the inhabitants of these cities, supposing that they would be overwhelmed, fell into great fear, yet no harm befell them as a result of the earthquakes.

  Then it was, too, that the river Nile rose above eighteen cubits and flooded all Egypt with water; and yet in the region of Thebes, which is higher upstream, the waters settled and receded at the appointed time and gave opportunity to the inhabitants of that district both to sow the land and to attend to their other tasks just as they were accustomed to do. But as for the country below, after the water had first covered the surface, it did not recede, but remained in the way throughout the time of sowing, a thing which had never happened before in all time; and there were places where the water, even after receding, flowed in again not long afterwards. Thus it came about that all the seeds, such as had been put into the ground in the interval, rotted. And by this strange occurrence the people were reduced to dire straits, while most of the animals died through lack of sustenance.

  It was at that time also that the whale, which the Byzantines called Porphyrius, was caught. This whale had been annoying Byzantium and the towns about it for fifty years, not continuously, however, but disappearing sometimes for a rather long interval. And it sank many boats and terrified the passengers of many others, driving them from their course and carrying them off to great distances. It had consequently become a matter of concern to the Emperor Justinian to capture this creature, but he was unable by any device to accomplish his purpose. But I shall explain how it came to be captured in the present instance. It happened that while a deep calm prevailed over the sea, a very large number of dolphins gathered close to the mouth of the Euxine Sea. And suddenly they saw the whale and fled wherever each one could, but the most of them came in near the mouth of the Sangarius. Meanwhile the whale succeeded in capturing some of them, which he swallowed forthwith. And then, either still impelled by hunger or by a contentious spirit, it continued the pursuit no less than before, until, without noticing it, it had itself come very close to the land. There it ran upon some very deep mud, and, though it struggled and exerted itself to the utmost to get out of it as quickly as possible, it still was utterly unable to escape from this shoal, but sank still deeper in the mud. Now when this was reported among all the people who dwelt round about, they straightway rushed upon the whale, and though they hacked at it most persistently with axes on all sides, even so they did not kill it, but they dragged it up with some heavy ropes. And they placed it on waggons and found its length to be about thirty cubits, and its breadth ten. Then, after forming several groups and dividing it accordingly, some ate the flesh immediately, while others decided to cure the portion which fell to them.

  Now the Byzantines, observing the earthquakes and learning the circumstances of the Nile’s rise and the capture of this whale, began straightway to prophesy that such and such things would take place, according to the taste of each. For men are wont, when present events baffle them, to utter awesome prophecies of the future, and, distracted by occurrences which trouble them, to infer, with no good reason, what the future will bring forth. But as for me, I shall leave to others prophecies and explanations of marvels; still, I know well that the lingering of the Nile on the fields did prove a cause of great calamities at that time at any rate, while the disappearance of the whale, on the other hand, unquestionably provided an escape from many troubles. However, some say that it was not the same whale that I mentioned, but another one that was captured. But I shall return to the point where I made the digression from my narrative.

  Totila, after accomplishing what has been recounted, learning that the Romans in the fortress near Rusciane were beginning to feel the want of provisions, thought that he would capture them very quickly if they should be unable to bring in any supplies, and so he made camp close to the town and settled down for a siege. And the winter drew to a close and the thirteenth year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written.[548 A.D.]

  Βασιλεὺς δε Ίουστινιανὸς πεζοὺς στρατιώτα�
� οὐχ ἦσσον ἢ δισχιλίους ἐς Σικελίαν ναυσὶν ἔπεμψε καὶ Βαλεριανὸν οὐδεμιᾷ μελλήσει παρὰ Βελισάριον ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι. [2] καὶ ὃς διαπορθμευσάμενος ὲς τὸν Δρυοῦντα κατέπλευσεν, οὗ δὴ καὶ Βελισάριον ξὺν τῇ γυναικὶ εὗρεν. [3] ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον Ἀντωνίνα μὲν ἡ Βελισαρίου γυνη ἐς Βυζαντιον στέλλεται, τῆς βασιλίδος δεησομένη μείζονι παρασκευῇ τὸν πόλεμον ἐξαρτύεσθαι. [4] ἡ δὲ βασιλὶς Θεοδώρα νοσήσασα ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνιστο, ἐνιαυτοὺς ἕνα τε καὶ εἴκοσι τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἐπιβιοῦσα καὶ μῆνας τρεῖς. [5] Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ οἱ ἐν τῷ ἐπὶ Ῥουσκιανῆς φρουρίῳ πολιορκούμενοι πιεζόμενοι τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ ἐς λόγους τοῖς πολεμίοις ξυνίασιν, ὡμολόγησάν τε μεσούσης μάλιστα τῆς τοῦ θέρους ὥρας τὸ φρούριον ἐνδώσειν, ἢν μή τις ἐπιγένηται μεταξὺ βοήθεια σφίσιν, ἐφ̓ ᾧ μέντοι ἀπαθεῖς κακῶν ἅπαντες μείνωσιν. [6] ἦσαν δὲ Ἰταλῶν μὲν ἐν τῷ φρουρίῳ τούτῳ πολλοί τε καὶ λόγιμοι, καὶ Δεοφέρων ὁ Τουλλιανοῦ ἀδελφός, τοῦ δὲ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἱππεῖς μὲν Ἰλλυριοὶ τριακόσιοι, οὕσπερ Ἰωάννης ἐνταῦθα καταστησάμενος ἔτυχε, Χαλαζάρ τε αὐτοῖς τὸν δορυφόρον ἐπιστήσας, Μασσαγέτην γένος, διαφερόντως ἀγαθὸν τὰ πολέμια, καὶ Γουδίλαν Θρᾷκα, καὶ πεζοὶ ἑκατὸν πρὸς Βελισαρίου ἐπὶ τῇ φυλακῇ τοῦ φρουρίου σταλέντες. [7] Τότε καὶ ὅσοι στρατιῶται πρὸς Βελισαρίου ἐπὶ τῇ Ῥώμης φρουρᾷ ἐτετάχατο τὸν σφῶν ἄρχοντα Κόνωνα κτείνουσιν, ἐμπορίαν αὐτῷ τοῦ τε σίτου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδείων ἐπὶ πονηρῷ τῷ σφετέρῳ ἐπενεγκόντες. [8] πρέσβεις τε τῶν ἱερέων τινὰς πέμπουσιν, ἀπισχυριζόμενοι ὡς, ἢν μὴ βασιλεὺς τούτου δὴ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος ἀμνηστίαν σφίσι διδοίη χρόνου τε ῥητοῦ τὰς συντάξεις ἐκτίσοι ὅσας δὴ αὐτοῖς τὸ δημόσιον ὤφειλε, Τουτίλᾳ τε καὶ Γότθοις οὐδὲν μελλήσαντες προσχωρήσουσι. βασιλεύς τε αὐτοῖς τὴν δέησιν ἐπιτελῆ ἐποίει. [9] Βελισάριος δὲ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐς τὸν Δρυοῦντα μεταπεμψάμενος ξύν τε αὐτῷ καὶ Βαλεριανῷ καὶ ἄλλοις ἄρχουσι στόλον πολὺν ἀγείρας εὐθὺ Ῥουσκιανῆς κατὰ τάχος ἔπλει, τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ἐπαμύνειν ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχων. [10] οἵ τε ἐν τῷ φρουρίῳ τὸν στόλον τοῦτον ἅτε ἀφ̓ ὑψηλοῦ κατιδόντες εὐέλπιδές τε γενόμενοι οὐκέτι τοῖς πολεμίοις προσχωρεῖν ἔγνωσαν, καίπερ ἐνισταμένης ἤδη τῆς σφίσι ξυγκειμένης ἡμέρας. [11] καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα χειμῶνος ἐξαισίου ἐπιπεσόντος, ἄλλως τε καὶ τῆς ἐκείνῃ ἀκτῆς ἀλιμένου παντάπασιν οὔσης, ταῖς ναυσὶν ἁπάσαις ὡς ἀπωτάτω ἀλλήλων ξυνηνέχθη διασκεδάννυσθαι: [12] ταύτῃ τε χρόνου μῆκος σφίσι τριβῆναι ξυνέβη. αὖθίς τε ἀγηγερμένοι ἐν τῷ Κροτωνιατῶν λιμένι ἐπὶ Ῥουσκιανὴν ἀνήγοντο. οὕσπερ ἐπεὶ οἱ βάρβαροι εἶδον, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀναθορόντες ἀμφὶ τὴν ἠϊόνα ἐγένοντο τὴν ἀπόβασιν τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀναστέλλειν διανοούμενοι. [13] Τουτίλας τε αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τῆς ἀκτῆς ἀντιμετώπους ἔστησε ταῖς τῶν νηῶν πρῴραις. τοὺς μὲν δόρατα ἔχοντας, τοὺς δὲ τὰ τόξα ἐντειναμένους. [14] ὅπερ ἐπεὶ Ῥωμαῖοι εἶδον, κατωρρώδησάν τε καὶ ἄγχιστα οὐδαμῆ ἐτόλμων ἰέναι, ἀλλὰ χρόνον μέν τινα τὰς ναῦς ἑκαστάτω ἀνακωχεύσαντες ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον, ὕστερον δὲ ἀπογνόντες τὴν ἀπόβασιν πρύμναν τε πάντες ἐκρούοντο καὶ ἀναχθέντες τῷ Κροτωνιατῶν αὖθις λιμένι προσέσχον. [15] Οὗ δὴ ἐπὶ κοινῆς βουλευσαμένοις ἔδοξε σφίσιν ἄμεινον εἶναι Βελισάριον μὲν ἐς Ῥώμην ἰόντα τὰ ταύτῃ τε ὡς ἄριστα διοικήσασθαι καὶ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐσκομίσασθαι, Ἰωάννην δὲ καὶ Βαλεριανὸν τούς τε ἄνδρας ἐς γῆν καὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀποβιβάσαντας ὁδῷ τε πορευομένους ἐς Πικηνοὺς ἰέναι, ξυνταράξοντας τῶν πολεμίων τοὺς τὰ ἐκείνῃ πολιορκοῦντας πολίσματα. [16] οὕτω γὰρ ἂν αὐτοῖς Τουτίλαν διαλύσαντα τὴν προσεδρείαν ἐπισπέσθαι ἐλπίδα εἶχον. [17] Ἰωάννης μὲν οὖν ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις χιλίοις οὖσι κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίει: Βαλεριανὸς δὲ τὸν κίνδυνον δείσας ταῖς ναυσὶ κόλπον περιιὼν τὸν Ἰόνιον ἔπλει τοῦ Ἀγκῶνος εὐθύ. ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐν Πικηνοῖς τε γενήσεσθαι ξὺν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ᾤετο καὶ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ ξυμμῖξαι. [18] ἀλλὰ Τουτίλας διαλῦσαι τὴν προσεδρείαν οὐδ̓ ὣς ἤθελεν, ἀλλ̓ αὐτὸς μὲν ἐνταῦθα καθῆστο, δισχιλίους δὲ ἱππεῖς τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἀπολεξάμενος ἐς Πικηνοὺς στέλλει, ἐφ̓ ᾧ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα βαρβάροις ξυμμίξαντες τοὺς ἀμφί τε Ἰωάννην καὶ Βαλεριανὸν ἀποκρούσονται. [19] Οἱ δὲ πολιορκούμενοι ἐν τῷ ἐπὶ Ῥουσκιανῆς φρουρίῳ, ἐπεὶ σφᾶς τά τε ἀναγκαῖα ἤδη παντάπασιν ἐπελελοίπει καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔτι ἀπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἐπικουρίας ἐλπίδα εἶχον, Γουδίλαν τε τὸν δορυφόρον καὶ Δεοφέροντα τὸν Ἰταλιώτην παρὰ Τουτίλαν πέμψαντες ἐπρεσβεύοντο ἀμφὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ, δεόμενοι σφίσιν αὐτοῖς τῶν πεπραγμένων ξυγγνώμονα εἶναι. [20] ὁ δὲ Τουτίλας ἐς ἄλλον οὐδένα ὅτι μὴ ἐς τὸν Χαλαζὰρ ἐπιτελέσειν τὴν κόλασιν ἐπηγγέλλετο ἅτε τὰ πρόσθεν ξυγκείμενα ἠλογηκότα, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις τὸ ἔγκλημα ἐπιχωρεῖν πᾶσιν. [21] οὕτω τοίνυν αὐτὸς τὸ φρούριον ἐδέξατο. καὶ τὸν μὲν Χαλαζὰρ ἄμφω τε τὼ χεῖρε ἀποτεμὼν καὶ τὰ αἰδοῖα εὐθὺς ἔκτεινε, τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν τοὺς μὲν βουλομένους μένειν ἐκέλευε τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχοντας, ἐφ̓ ᾧ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ἴσῃ καὶ ὁμοίᾳ Γότθοις ξυντάξονται: ὅπερ κἀν τοῖς ἄλλοις ὀχυρώμασι τοῖ�
� ἁλισκομένοις πράσσειν εἰώθει: [22] οἷς δὲ τὸ μένειν ἐν ἡδονῇ ὡς ἥκιστα ἦν, τούτους δὴ γυμνοὺς ὅπη βούλοιντο ἐκέλευεν ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι, τοῦ μή τινά οἱ τῶν ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀκούσιον ξυστρατεύεσθαι. [23] ὀγδοήκοντα μὲν οὖν τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ τῶν χρημάτων ἀπολελειμμένων ἐς τὸν Κρότωνα ἦλθον, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ξὺν τοῖς χρήμασιν αὐτοῦ ἔμειναν. [24] τῶν μέντοι Ἰταλῶν τὰ μὲν χρήματα πάντα ἀφείλετο, τὰ δέ γε σώματα κακῶν παντάπασιν ἀπαθῆ εἴασεν. [25] Ἀντωνίνα δὲ ἡ τοῦ Βελισαρίου γυνὴ τῆς βασιλίδος ἀπογενομένης ἐς Βυζάντιον ἀφικομένη ἐδέετο βασιλέως μετάπεμπτόν οἱ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐνταῦθα ἐλθεῖν. ῥᾷστά τε διεπράξατο τοῦτο. ἤδη γὰρ καὶ ὁ Μηδικὸς πόλεμος ἐπικείμενος ἰσχυρότατα βασιλέα Ἰουστινιανὸν ἐς τοῦτο ἐνῆγεν.